Shihakushō

A Shihakushō (死覇装, Death-Conquering Robe) is the standard Shinigami uniform worn by all members of the Gotei 13 as well as the Royal Guard.

Overview[]

The Shihakushō is composed of a white shitagi (下着, under clothing), a black kosode (小袖, small sleeve), a black hakama (袴), a white hakama-himo, white tabi (足袋, foot pouch), and waraji (草鞋). The black kosode has its owner's division insignia emblazoned on the inside. Lieutenants of the Gotei 13 sometimes wear an armband which carries their division symbol and its number, usually on their left arm. They are required to do this when they are summoned to a meeting, but apart from this, it is rarely compulsory.^[1]

Captains additionally wear a white haori (羽織) over the usual black Shinigami clothes, with the number of their division on the back inside the Gotei 13 symbol (a rhombus). Some captain haori have long sleeves, while others do not. The color of the underside is division — or at least captain — specific, for every captain has a different color of it. The haori is meant to signify a captain's status, and Yamamoto was furious when Captains Kuchiki, Kyōraku, and Zaraki lost theirs in battle and were acting indifferent about it.^[2]

Uniform Customization[]

Gotei 13 officers, particularly captains and lieutenants, often customize their personal appearance or that of their uniform. Some of these modifications include:

• Captain Ichibē Hyōsube of the Royal Guard additionally wears a large set of red prayer beads around his neck and a pair of single-toothed tengu geta.^[3]
• Captain Ōetsu Nimaiya of the Royal Guard wears a shihakushō with a green undergarment instead, and a shortened hakama that exposes his lower legs. Instead of a captain's haori, he wears a white, sleeveless puffer jacket that bears the Royal Guard emblem on its back.^[4]
• Captain Tenjirō Kirinji of the Royal Guard wears a black hakama with a large yellow sash around his waist that leaves his chest exposed. Instead of a captain's haori, he wears a waist-length white jacket that bears the Royal Guard emblem on its back.^[5]
• Captain Shunsui Kyōraku of the 1st Division wears a straw hat and a gaudily-colored kimono over his uniform.
• Captain Suì-Fēng of the 2nd Division wears a sleeveless and backless Shinigami outfit (when she is fighting) under her haori, which is standard issue for the head of the Onmitsukidō. She wears a yellow sash a layer above, but slightly lower than her white one.
• Captain Retsu Unohana, formerly of the 4th Division, wore an obi (帯, sash) rather than a standard sash.
• Captain Isane Kotetsu of the 4th Division wears an obi (帯, sash) similar to that of Unohana.^[6]
• Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of the 6th Division wears an expensive scarf named Ginpaku Kazahana no Uzuginu (銀白風花の紗, Silks of the Silverwhite Wildflower) and a white ceremonial hairpiece called kenseikan (牽星箝, Star-Pulling Insert), symbolizing his noble lineage. 17 months after Aizen's defeat, he wears a finely crafted captain's haori.
• Captain Sajin Komamura, formerly of the 7th Division, wore shoulder guards over his haori and large gloves which go up to his arms. He used to wear a helmet to hide his appearance, but he has removed it.
• Captain Lisa Yadōmaru of the 8th Division wears no hakama, instead wearing a miniskirt version of the kosode alongside a modified Shihakushō that shows her bare midriff.^[7]
• Captain Kaname Tōsen, formerly of the 9th Division, wore an orange scarf with his outfit, a sleeveless kosode, and white boots.
• Captain Kensei Muguruma of the 9th Division wears a sleeveless kosode.
• Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya of the 10th Division wears a green sash pinned with a star around his shoulder to hold his sword.
• Captain Kenpachi Zaraki of the 11th Division wears a jagged edged haori, which was taken from the previous captain of the 11th Division.
• Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the 12th Division wears a bloated purple cravat and a hat decorated with two horizontal spikes. He later changes the hat.
• Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe, formerly of the 1st Division, wore a jinbaori over his shihakushō.
• Lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda of the 2nd Division wears a large purple collar behind his head.^[8]
• Lieutenant Atau Rindō of the 7th Division wears a modified shihakushō with shortened sleeves over a light-colored turtleneck with sleeves reaching his wrists, as well as a light-colored apron over his waist and legs.^[9]
• Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi of the 9th Division wears a sleeveless kosode and black choker.^[10]
• Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto of the 10th Division wears a top which is deliberately loose and hangs open to reveal her ample bosom. She wears a pink scarf (or stole), and wears her lieutenant's badge around her waist with her sash, tied in a bow.
• Lieutenant Ikkaku Madarame of the 11th Division wears a sleeveless kosode alongside a gold-plated shoulder plate on his right arm with the kanji for dragon (���) printed on it.^[11][12]
• Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi of the 12th Division wore no hakama, instead wearing a miniskirt version of the kosode which is belted at the waist.
• Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki of the 13th Division wore a short sleeved version of the shihakushō. She wears fingerless white tekkou, similar to Byakuya's, which extend past her elbows.
• 3rd Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa of the 11th Division wears an orange piece of clothing on top of his uniform around the neck connected to his arm, alongside a white cape that extends from his right shoulder to over the entirety of his left arm, and is fastened at the front by a single button.^[13]
• All known members of the 9th Division, excluding Mashiro Kuna and Toshimori Umesada, wear kosode without sleeves, including the former captains.
• Elites of the 6th division are distinguished by wearing a white, sleeveless haori (shorter than the ones captains wear) with purple edges and held together at the opening by a red string, over their standard shihakushō.^[14][15]

Trivia[]

• The Shihakushō becomes completely white and slightly altered if the Shinigami loses all their Reiryoku such as transferring their powers to a Human.^[16]
• In Ryōgo Narita's novel, Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World, it is revealed that Senjumaru Shutara was the one who created the Shihakushō, and was promoted to the Royal Guard for this achievement.^[17]

Klub Outside Trivia[]

• According to Q&A #149 and Q&A #389 by Tite Kubo on his fansite "Klub Outside", Senjumaru Shutara's accomplishment that gained her a promotion to Royal Guard was the invention of the Shihakushō,^[18] matching what is stated in the novel Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World.^[17]
  • Likewise, the primary reason the Shihakushō are colored black was so they would not need to be thrown away everytime they got stained in blood. However, Kubo then admits that the idea that they were made black so that they could be used alongside Ichibē Hyōsube's powers is a good one. ^[18]

References[]

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